Weekly Economic Update | Week Ending September 16, 2023

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Stock markets were roughly unchanged this week – Investors weighed another week of data that showed renewed strength in the economy. Key data included: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 3.7% in August from one year ago. That’s up from a 3.2% year-over-year increase in July and a 3% increase in June, marking a second consecutive monthly increase after dropping every month from July 2022 to June 2023. Oil prices hit their highest point since last November. Retail sales were also better than expected, up 2.5% from last August. Retail sales were up 2.2% in June and July from a year earlier. The economy is just not cooling the way the Fed expected when they began their tightening measures over a year ago. Investors, who felt that the Fed was done or nearly done raising rates, now feel that there will be at least one more increase in the coming months. They also feel that rates will remain high for longer than previously expected. Bond yields and mortgage rates are now at their highest levels in 20 years. Experts expect mortgage rates to drop significantly once we see some signs of slowing in the economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 34,618.24, up 0.1% from 34,576.59 last week. It is up 4.3% year-to-date. The S&P 500 closed the week at 4,450.32, down 0.2%from 4,457.59 last week. It is up 15.9% year-to-date. The Nasdaq closed the week at 13,704.34, down 0.4% from 13,761.53 last week. It is up 30.9% year-to-date.

U.S. Treasury bond yields – The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 4.33% up from 4.26% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 4.42%, up from 4.33% last week. We watch bond yields because mortgage rates follow bond yields.

Mortgage ratesThe Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as of September 14, 2023, were as follows: The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.18%, up slightly from 7.12% last week. The 15-year fixed was 6.51%, almost unchanged from 6.52% last week.

Home sales data from the California Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors will be released next week.

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Economic Update | Week Ending September 9, 2023

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Stock markets closed lower this week – Stocks lost ground based on fears that interest rates will remain high for a longer period than previously expected. This is due to another round of strong economic news. New data suggests there is renewed strength in the labor market as jobless claims dropped to their lowest levels since February. Worker productivity increased by 3.5% last quarter, it’s highest level since 2017. The value of the dollar grew stronger, it is up 5.6% from July of this year. Oil prices rose to a 9-month high, placing pressure on inflation. Sales and inflation data for the month of August will be released next week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 34,576.59, down 0.8% from 34,837.71 last week. It is up 4.3% year-to-date. The S&P 500 closed the week at 4,457.59, down 1.3% from 4,515.77 last week. It is up 16.1% year-to-date. The Nasdaq closed the week at 13,761.53, down 1.9% from 14,031.81 last week. It is up 31.5% year-to-date.

U.S. Treasury bond yields – The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 4.26% up from 4.18% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 4.33%, up from 4.29% last week. We watch bond yields because mortgage rates follow bond yields.

Mortgage rates – The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that as of September 7, 2023, mortgage rates for the most popular loan products were as follows: The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.12%, down slightly from 7.18% last week. The 15-year fixed was 6.52% up from 6.11% last week.

Home sales data for August will be released in the coming week by the California Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. Local data by city or zip code is available now on our website RodeoRe.com.

Have a great weekend!

Rodeo Realty President-Syd Leibovitch lands on 2019 Swanepoel Power 200 List

Syd Leibovitch recognized as one of the most influential and powerful people in residential real estate.

The 2019 Swanepoel Power 200 list is out and Rodeo Realty’s President, Syd Leibovitch, is once again recognized as one of the most powerful people in the residential real estate brokerage industry!

Out of hundreds who were considered, Syd Leibovitch was one of 200 who made it onto the SP200 list.

“The SP200 is based on a great deal of research,” said Stefan Swanepoel, Editor-in-Chief of the Swanepoel Power 200. “We send hundreds of requests for additional information, personally verifying announcements, stats and actions that took place over the past year.”

The 2019 SP200 ranks Syd Leibovitch at #108 among the 200 recognized.

“Rodeo Realty founder Leibovitch heads one of the leading residential real estate firms in Los Angeles and Ventura counties with nearly 1,000 agents in 12 offices who do $5.2 billion in annual sales,” said the SP200.